Valve.



C. R. BALLARD.

VALVE. APPLICATION FILED 111111. a, 1911.

1,003, 11 3. a n d e t. 19, 1911.

WITNESSES /9 I I INVENTOR I WW 5 v @AWW COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH1:0..WA5HINOTON, D. c.

CHARLES R. BALLARID, OF MIDWAY, PENNSYLVANIA.

VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

Application filed. March 8, 1911. Serial No. 611,968.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES R. BALLA'RD,

a resident of Midway, in the county of "Washington and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Valves, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to valves for compressors, pumps and the like,and more par ticularly to outlet valves therefor, although certainfeatures thereof are applicable to inlet valves.

The object of the invention is to provide for the purposes stated avalve of simple and durable construction, one which is noiseless in itsaction, one in which the extent of opening can be varied, which is soconstructed that it can be easily attached to and removed from thecylinder head, and which is provided with adjustably renewable means fortaking up the wear.

The invention comprises a valve constructed and arranged as hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional viewthrough the valve showing it attached to the cylinder head; Fig. 2 is atransverse section on the line 2-2, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a centrallongitudinal section of a portion of the valve showing a modification ofthe piston and bushing.

In the drawing 1 indicates a portion of the head of a cylinder of an aircompressor, pump or similar apparatus.

The valve is illustrated as an outlet valve and comprises a casing 2which at its inner end is open to the pump or compressor cylinder and isprovided with a seat 3 with which cooperates a valve 4 provided with astem 5 which is preferably hollow as shown, and slidably mounted in anaxial bore in a bushing member 6. The latter is of considerable lengthso as to provide along bearing for the valve stem, and has at its outerend the enlarged portion 7 which fits the outer portion of the chamberin casing 2. The bushing 6 is rotatably adjustable in the casing but isadapted to be clamped to the casing so that it cannot rotate therein,such as being provided with the external shoulder 8 contacting with aninternal shoulder 9 in the casing and arranged to be clamped againstsaid shoulder by having its outer end contacted by the inner edge of cap10 which has a threaded connection in the outer end of the casing andwhich serves the two-fold purpose of clamping the bushing between itsinner end and the shoulder 9 in the casing and also as a closure for theouter end of the casing.

In the valve illustrated the wear is con fined almost entirely to thereciprocation of the valve stem 5 in the bore of the bushing 6, andsince these valves, whet-her used as inlet or outlet valves, are usuallyplaced in a horizontal position, the wear is greater on the lower sideof the valve stem and the bushing bore. After the wear becomes excessiveit is merely necessary to remove the cap 10 and give the bushing 6 andvalve a half turn, that is, through 180 degrees, and then replace thecap. This simple adjustment brings the valve and its stem back intoalinement with the valve seat. When the wear again becomes excessive theworn bushing is replaced by a new one, when the valve will bepractically as good as new. The bushing rotatably adjustable in thevalve body provides a simple means for keeping the valve in properworking order and for renewing the wearable part at a reasonable cost,and without discarding the main parts of the valve.

The discharge orifices 11 are through the side walls of the casing.

The valve is normally held to its seat by means of a spring 12 which isinterposed between the outer face of said valve and the enlarged portion7 of the bushing, said spring being contained in the space between thecasing and the reduced portion 6 of the bushing. The valve itself isprovided at its peripheral edge with the out wardly projectingcylindrical sleeve or shell 13 surrounding the inner end of the spring12 and which is of such length that it extends outwardly beyond thedischarge orifices 11 and therefore prevents the fluid passing throughthe pump or compressor from coming into contact with the valve stem, andprotecting the valve stem as well as the spring 12 from the dirt or gritin the fluid being compressed or pumped.

The cap 10 closes the outer end of the easing substantiallyhermetically, so that there is no tendency for the fluid beingcompressed to pass outwardly between the valve stem and the walls of thebore in which said stem reciprocates, so that there is a minimum amountof wear of the valve stem in the bushing on account of dirt or grit inthe fluid being compressed. Moreover the sleeve or shell 18 serves as afurther guide for the valve and as it has a comparatively large preventthe same from closing or opening so suddenly as to cause dlsagreeablenoises. If

desired the piston may be provided with a suitable packing ring orrings, or with packing grooves, shown at 16, to give a tight fit in thedashpot chamber. The threaded connection of the piston 14 with the valvestem serves to adjust said piston on said stem and therefore determinesthe extent of the opening movement of the valve, it being obvious thatwhen the/piston contacts with the inner face of the cap 10 the openingmovement of the valve is stopped. In order to lock the piston in itsadjusted position on the valve stem I provide a key 18, preferablythreaded, and entering a tapped hole formed partly in the valve stem 5and partly in the piston 14. If desired the piston may be provided witha small leak port 19 through which the air can pass in interchangingfrom one side 'of said piston to the other. The piston is preferablyprovided with a pair of recesses 20 for receiving a spanner wrench orthe like," and the cap 10 is similarly provided with recesses 21. i

The valve casing at its inner end is externally threaded, as at 22, andis secured to the cylinder head by merely screwing the same into atapped opening therein. Consequently thevalve can be very readily'attached to and removed from the cylinder head without disturbing theother parts and permits of the use of a very simple cylinder head. Thevalve is entirely self-contained so'that in attaching it to or removingit from the cylinder head none of the parts need be disassembling. Thevalve can be fully completed and put together at the factory and mumamount of stoppage.

attached to the compressors in the field or elsewhere by an ordinarymechanic. On account of beingself-contained it is possible to renewvalvesor compressors with a mini- Fig? 3 shows a modification in whichthe piston 14 is integral with the Valve stem '5", and the bushing 6 issplit longitudinally '(as indicatedfby the absence of section lines onsaid bushing) to permit the same to be assembled with the piston andvalve stem. In other particulars the construction and operation is thesame as in the main form.

The valve is'of solid compact construction and is supported entirely atits inner end, thereby dispensing with the usual complicatedarrangements for fastening-the valve to or in the cylinder head. Theports are so located in the sleeve, and the shell on the valve is ofsuch length that the grit and dirt in the fluid being compressed cannotwork into theaxial bore in which the valve stem slides and wear thesame, and cannot come into contact with the spring and clog or foul thesame. The sealing of the outer end of the valve casing prevents thefluid being compressed from seeking escape through the axial bore of thebushing and around the valve stem. The rotatably adjusted bushingprovides a simple means for bringing the valve back into alinement withits seat when the bearing becomes worn, and also is an inexpensiverenewable means when worn.

The main features of the valve are adapted equally well for an inletvalve as for an outlet valve, as shown in the drawing.

I do not herein claim broadly the combination of the casing provided atits inner end with the means for attachment to the cylinder heads andwith ports in its side walls, a valve, a bushing rotatably adjustable inthe casing and a cap closing the outer end of the casing and bearingagainst the bushing and clamping the latter against an internal shoulderin the casing, as shown in the drawing in this application, togetherwith a spring arranged to hold the valve to its seat. The subject matterabove stated is claimed in an application filed January 13, 1911, SerialNo. 602,4;69. The valve of the present application is an improvement onthe valve of the prior application in the particulars enumerated in theclaims.

What I claim is:

1. A self-contained valve for compressors, pumpsand the like, comprisinga one-piece casing provided at its inner end with a valve seat and withmeans for attachment to a cylinder head and having ports through itsside walls near its inner end, said side walls being otherwiseimp'erforate, said casing being internally enlarged from its outer endto provide an internal shoulder, a valve cooperating with said valveseat and provided with an outwardly extending stem and at its peripherywith a sleeve or shell extending outwardly beyond the ports in thecasing side walls, a bushing 'rotatably adjustable in said casing andseating against the internal shoulder therein and provided with an axialbore in which the valve stem is guided, a spring surrounded by thesleeve ing to seat said valve, and a cap threaded into the outer end ofsaid casing and bearing directly against said bushing and clamping thesame against the internal shoulder in the casing.

2. A self-contained valve for compressors, pumps and the like,comprising a one-piece casing provided at its inner end with a valveseat and with means for attachment to a cylinder head and having portsthrough its side walls near its inner end, said side walls beingotherwise imperforate, said casing be ing internally enlarged from itsouter end to provide an internal shoulder, a valve cooperating with saidvalve seat and provided with an outwardly extending stem and at itsperiphery with a sleeve or shell extending outwardly beyond the ports inthe casing side walls, a bushing rotatably adjustable in said casing andseating against the internal shoulder therein and provided with an axialbore in which the valve stem is guided, a spring surrounded by thesleeve or shell on said valve and interposed between the valve and saidbushing and serving to seat said valve, a cap threaded into the outerend of said casing and bearing directly against said bushing andclamping the same against the internal shoulder in the casing, thebushing and cap being formed to provide a chamber, and a piston on theouter end of the valve stem and having a close fit in said chamber andforming a dash pot therewith.

3. A valve for compressors, pumps and the like, comprising a one-piececasing provided at its inner end with a valve seat and with means forattachment to a cylinder head and having ports through its side wallssaid side walls being otherwise imperforate, said casing beinginternally enlarged from its outer end to provide an internal shoulder,a valve cooperating with said valve seat and provided with an outwardlyextending stem and at its periphery with a shell or sleeve extendingoutwardly beyond the ports in the casing, a bushing rotatably adjustablein the casing and provided with an enlarged outer portion seatingagainst the internal shoulder in the easing and with a reduced inwardlyextending portion and being provided with an axial bore in which thevalve stem is slidable, a cap threaded into the outer end of the casingand bearing directly against said bushing and clamping the same againstthe internal shoulder in the casing, and a spring surrounding thereduced inner portion of the bushing and bearing against the valve andbeing surrounded by the shell or sleeve of the valve and serving to holdthe valve to its seat.

4. A valve for compressors, pumps and the like, comprising a one-piececasing provided at its inner end with a valve seat and with means forattachment to a cylinder head and having ports through its side walls,said side walls being otherwise imperforate, said casing beinginternally enlarged from its outer end to provide an internal shoulder,a valve cooperating with said valve seat and provided with an outwardlyextending stem and at its periphery with a shell or sleeve extendingoutwardly beyond the ports in the casing, a bushing rotatably adjustablein the casing and provided with an enlarged outer portion seatingagainst the internal shoulder in the casing and with a reduced inwardlyextending portion and being provided with an axial bore in 'which thevalve stem is slidable, a cap threaded into the outer end of the casingand bearing directly against said bushing and clamping the same againstthe internal shoulder in the casing, a sprin surrounding the reducedinner portion oi the bushing and bearing against the valve and beingsurrounded by the shell or sleeve of the valve and serving to hold thevalve to its seat, the outer end of said bushing being provided with acylindrical chamber, and a piston on the outer end of the valve stem andhaving a close fit in said chamber and forming a dash pot therewith.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES R. BALLARD. Witnesses:

F. W. WINTER, MARY E. CAHooN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

